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I don't have any livebearers and I don't plan on getting any anytime soon (I think my tank is about stocked, and I'm quite happy with it), but just out of interest (and who knows what I may buy in the future) just how quick do livebearers reproduce? If I was to buy a school of 5 or 6 (is that a standard number?) just how quick and how big would that population get?

Also, if they were to breed, would my current inhabitants (2 DG, neons, dwarf chain loaches, kuhli's, corys, BN, and Amano shrimp) eat all the fry, keeping the population under control, or could I expect some to survive?

Just out of interest really, trying to expand my knowledge in an area I know very little about.

I had a "school" of platies....2 males and 4 females and they reproduce like rabbits. Although, not as fast as guppies from what I understand. My variatus platies have also been very prolific and I only have 1 male and 1 female.

Here's what I've had in the tank with platy fry at one point or another (not all at once): several small angelfish, a huge opaline gourami, cherry barbs, rasboras, and a small plec (L-316) and NOTHING, I repeat nothing has eaten any of my fry....including the parents. I'm hoping that when the angels get bigger that they might, but hope springs eternal.

Unless yoou want babies coming out of your ears, get only male livebearers (females almost always come from the LFS pregnant).

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~~Melissa~~
"Beauty is in the eye of the beer holder."

really depends on the type of livebearers, but generally about 27-31 days.

alot of it depends on history, for example with guppies, earily guppie females that breed will often tend to stay smaller and can only produce a small amount of babies.



but i would only get 1 male per 2-3 females, and dont forget that females can still reproduce without males so if u feel it would overstock a tank and something happened to the male u would really need to get another one.

*in your tank* (if u choose to get any) the parents will probably eat alot of the fry and the DGs will probably eat alot to. so overstocking probably wont happen

--info--
swordtails- they tend to get very large and are very active, males tend to be alittle aggressive with eachother so if u were to get a group, 1 male with 5 females should be good enough. Older female swordtails who are unable to produce reproductive horomones can turn into "males" they will grow a gono, but i dont think they get a sword. should produce about 30-120 fry

guppies- if u were looking at a group of 6 i would go with 4males and 2 females. Males dont tend to be over aggressive to eachother and are just fine by themselves. probably the most popular and should be fine in ur set-up. should produce about 30-100 fry

platies- kinda small and colorful fish. again in a group of 6, 2 males and 4 females would be good. should produces under 100 fry

variatus- by far my favorite. i only have a pair, but they are very hardy and colorful. my male isn't aggressive but he likes to flash at other fishes, probably trying to impress the female. should produce about > 100 fry

mollies- kinda large, and like more salt than guppies. females dont really tend to get big like a guppies would. i believe only around 50 fry are usually produced.

there are other uncommon livebearers like halfbecks and pike top minnows, goodeied, mosiquteo fish etc... but they dont tend to be very common in lfs.

the only reason why you will often see alot of us say males only, is b/c in small tanks like 10s etc.. a single female livebearer can produce enough fry to overstock a tank, and you must keep in mind the fry's potiental size. Even though many of the fry wont make it, the ones that do will breed again and the cycle contuines.

I had a molly give birth in my 10, she delivered in the middle of the night, so I don't know how many children she had, but when i woke up there where 3 survivors.In the tank I had only small fish, like male platys, by the time i got home from school, only one was left; Little Pablo No fish semmed interested in eating him,lucky for him. The molly mom was quite yound also, so it may not be a huge problem for you.You may want to "test" by buying a pregnent female, waiting a while for her to deliver, then see how many babies make it.Any who, hope this helps.

I have 2 pairs of platys & 1 pair of guppy. They probably have babies every 5-6 weeks, but none have ever survived for more than a week or so. They have always been lunch to someone else in the tank and this is in a tank that is fairly heavily planted. Lots of wisteria for them to hide in. So in my tank, there has been no population explosion. I still have my fingers crossed that one day, some little fry will make it.

Cheers
TW

lol, nobldy is willing to eat my guppy fry lol, not the parents, not the female bettas *lol, they were raised with them* I bought or raised! which to me seems odd, but even when i gave them misquito larve, only one male guppy went to town on them, haveing wiggly bits sticking out of his mouth as he went after others lol I even had to transfer the fry to a 29 grow out tank which was suppost to be for bettas, but they havent bred yet..but theres hope lol so my friends are lining up to take them lol, then as soon as the bettas breed they are off to the lfs, or if anyone is interested, I can get some baggs from the fish store, and ship them lol..................

In the main 20 gallon there are probly 30 adult guppies, in the 29 gallon there are over 80 fry and juviniles than need to hit the road lol, all except a very nice pastell male and female

but, if you want me to start you off lol, just ask, and i can get you pics of my line